Friday, February 29, 2008

I remember a time like this several years ago, when people were taking their Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Cups and crushing them to sell as scrap. Today, with the current price of silver, I'd bet they wish those cups were still in their showcase. In fact, on eBay, a 7 oz.1850 pure coin silver Mint Julep Cup by Peter Krider sold 2/27 for $600.

Yes, I was a little early in my call to sell silver, and it has gone up another 20% making it an even better sell. Anyone who says they can pick the very top or bottom in a market is someone to be fearful of. No, I didn't think the dollar would continue to fall through the floor, but it has. Neither did I suspect that crude prices would continue to skyrocket above $100 a barrel, but it did. So does that make my reasoning wrong? Not at all. Where I was right in my thinking was that corn would gain in value because of the production of ethanol. However, I did not take into consideration that this would cause the price of soybeans to go over $13 a bushel, or wheat would sell at $16. Who would've thought that? Because of these sharp, elevated prices in the futures market, their fall will be even steeper than their gains. So, yes I still say sell silver while it is still going up. This cycle will come to its end soon.

This new high in the price of silver now provides a better place to sell for those that didn't sell when I first wrote about this. I know of several people who sold a portion of their holdings the first time around. Now they can average up their selling price. I truly believe that as soon as the political parties have their candidates selected, the markets will begin to change, and by the third quarter, the economy will have righted itself. That will make this buying frenzy over.

I also recommend graded coins be sold. The interest in collecting coins has always been with the new collector, and this market isn't a fraction of what it was fifty years ago. So as soon as the glitter is off the metals, the elevated prices of the graded coins will drop significantly. Remember, starting collectors can't pay the prices being ask for coins in the market today.

There is more than one way to lose money in this over exuberant market, however. A friend of mine from Kentucky had over $1100 in silver coins for sale in a showcase at an Antique Mall. It seems that several people entered the mall distracted the attendant lifted the top of the case and helped themselves to his coins. It is too bad we don't have the justice that they used in the Old Testament today.

There are two things to be learned here. Yes, there were cameras but they didn't cover all the booths in the mall. My friend's booth wasn't covered. So if you set up at a mall, be sure that your booth is covered by the security camera. Second, when you set up at a mall you usually are asked to sign a document that states that the mall isn't responsible for losses, so you must carry your own insurance.

Anyone controlling a large amount of silver and gold at these prices might be well advised to deposit them in a safety deposit box. A person who has collected coins for several years might be surprising what the value of their holdings are today. It's best to protect these assets.The 31 Club uses a wealth building plan that can help you accumulate enough funds to last a lifetime, buying and selling antiques, collectibles, and fine art. Join the 31 Club. Learn about Antiques & Collectibles. Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles and build lifetime wealth. The plan is in my book. When you join today, you'll receive my 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

31 Club Member sold this lot of 9 Golden Age comic books for $4,200 on eBay.

Do we need to jump in the Bat Mobile or be faster than a speeding bullet to take advantage of the collectible comic book markets? People, including me, talk about Paintings, Pottery and Furniture appreciating, but Holy Cow, Batman, how about comics books!!??

This story of riches found in Comic Books is from an E-mail I received from 31 Club Member Vicki H. I include it because, otherwise, her story might just seem like a fantasy. Here's Vicki's letter about several lots of comic books she had listed on eBay last week, on consignment.

"Hi Mr. Lambert,

Wowie-Zowies! What a Week! Well, are you ready for this? $12,956.16!!!

However, I did have one glitch. Ebay canceled one auction -- oddly enough it was the lot of two Terror comics that you featured in your blog. I am not certain of what happened exactly, but according to another bidder, some girl from CA with a Hawaiian name was sniping and somehow revealed the other top bidders high bid. And they didn't allow me to have the chance to see the site again, making it impossible for me to contact the second bidder or to use as a re-list. I had to rewrite the whole ad.

It's already up to $51 though so it's ok. The fees are quite high, about $400 on this lot. But, where else would I have gotten these prices? So, I guess Ebay does have a hold on us sellers.

Now, you know I only get to keep 35% of this, however that comes to a whopping $4534.66! and I had no initial investment. Kind of nice huh? After I give my tithe --always first, I plan on making a large payment to my credit card and one or two car payments. It has been a struggle for me since I injured my back. I am not really able to conduct estate sales any longer and plan on doing appraisals and online selling for people full time now.

But I will take at least $200 to add to my treasure account. This gives me $1000.00 to spend. Now I need your help. What do you think of investing in Loetz glass? Or possibly Newcomb college pottery? Do you think I could double my money by investing in one of these items? Do you have any good suggestions on what I should look at? I am very excited to be a part of this club and really feel like I'm getting the hang of it!

Thank you so much for your time and talent that you have been so generous with! God Bless You! Vicki"

Now, Vicki didn't make all the profit herself because she was selling the comics on consignment, but I think you'll agree this sale put a big smile on her face. You can check her completed sales by doing an advanced search under her seller name: zvicki40

I really appreciate the way she finished her email by thanking your 31 Club for all its help and showing that her life is in the hands of God and giving the first portion of her profit to help do his work in the world. I am truly inspired by her.

No matter how much I write on the advantages you receive by being a member of the 31 Club, only successes like this one will prove the truthfulness of the program we have developed for you. If we truly want to help ourselves, as well as our neighbor, we need to be sharing this program with everyone we meet

Now for some math to ponder:

If you are amazed with an Andy Warhol painting selling for $71,000,000 that could likely have been purchased for $1,000,000 five years ago, what would you say about those comic books that could have been purchased for .05 or .10 selling for $660.00?

The painting increases by a factor 71. If the Comic Book had only increased by 71, its selling price would have been $7.70 not $660.00. Even if you went back further where the painting could have been purchased for $100,000, the factor would have been 710 times, while a 710 times factor on a dime is only $71. Still far from $660. Ka-Pow Robin!!! Let's begin the search before the word gets out!

The 31 Club uses a wealth building plan that can help you accumulate enough funds to last a lifetime, buying and selling antiques, collectibles, and fine art. Learn about Antiques & Collectibles with the 31 Club. Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles and build lifetime wealth with the 31 Club. The plan is in my book. When you join today, you'll receive my 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

It is easy to find out the value for paintings by Andy Warhol, Robert Wood, or Thomas Paine by going to the Internet or Davenports Price Guide, but how about Stefin Krammar, Harvey Joiner, or Robert Knudson? If you haven't heard of these last three, that comes as no surprise to me. But I have a painting by each one of these artists. Why do I have these? Each one has great quality in their workmanship and has a fairly high retail value if you can find a buyer. Besides that, I paid very little for them.

By doing the smallest amount of research, you will find the values on 150,000 artist in the Davenports Guide and many more on an Internet Search. This still leaves thousands of artist undiscovered that command high prices for their pieces.

In fact, I have found that the most money to be made, based on percentage invested, is in finding a painting that will bring a great deal of money in a particular part of the country, but the artist doesn't make the regular channels that you would generally consult.

Let's take my Stefin Krammar for instance. Mine is a watercolor of a cowboy riding through the countryside. At the time I found it, western scenes appealed to me. I purchase it for $250. It was very well done, so I figured that it was worth more than $250, even if Krammar wasn't a well known artist. I searched and searched for information about Krammar, and I finally discovered that he was a Texas artist and a museum in Texas was compiling an exhibit of his work. Nothing could be found on the Internet or in my guides, so I called the museum inquiring about its possible worth. My jaw dropped to the floor when the answer came back "$5000." Yes, it was worth a lot in Texas but it seemed nowhere else. I had very little competition in buying this painting because most people would have given up on finding a value on this artist after that initial search. Knowledge and that extra mile will pay off in spades if you are patient.

Harvey Joiner and Robert Knudson are similar situations. There is little known about them outside of a small area of the country where their work is collected. Harvey Joiner's paintings will bring three to five time more in Kentucky than anywhere else in the country. If you check his record price for a painting, I think it will be about $4000. But, I can assure you that the right piece of his work in Kentucky might fetch $15,000- $20,000 dollars or more. Remember the Joiner portrait I bought on the East Coast for $240 sold for $3,700 in Indiana.

I think that you can see what I'm getting at. If a painting has a high enough quality, you might not have to worry if you don't find it in the guides. You can still turn some serious money. By having the knowledge to evaluate the quality of a painting, it can substantially reduce your competition, especially if you don't recognize the artist.

How do you get this knowledge? By looking at as many paintings as you can and trying to distinguish what makes each one valuable. There is no substitute for viewing paintings, but also you have the staff at the 31 Club to help you. When you join us, your one-time membership fee will open the door to a world of help and information. You'll learn why certain paintings are valuable and how to spot them. As a member, you also have access to our Associate Program. This program can help you purchase a painting you might have stumbled upon, if you haven't yet built up the cash to make the purchase yourself. We'll help you buy it and take care of the sale. What could be better than that?

The 31 Club uses a wealth building plan that can help you accumulate enough funds to last a lifetime, buying and selling antiques, collectibles, and fine art. Join the 31 Club. Learn about Antiques & Collectibles. Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles and build lifetime wealth. The plan is in my book. When you join today, you'll receive my 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Yesterday I wrote about antique and vintage linens & textiles, particularly "Samplers," so today I thought it would be a good time to expand to the sewing experience.

With the cost of clothing accelerating at such a fast pace and the quality of it declining, you might expect the interest in home sewing to gain popularity once again. There has always been interest in sewing collectibles, but the future trends might even increase this interest. Just last month, Cindy made the comment that she might have to find someone to make her a dress. She had an affair to attend and couldn't find a dress that she felt was appropriate or even fit well. Not only that, she told me she has a hard time buying clothing now because the clothes are "so ugly and trendy, and not made to fit someone like me." I wonder how many other people feel the same way.

For the home sewer, the modern machines might seem like the logical solution, but don't be surprised if you see the ladies, as well as men, begin to do some of their own sewing the old fashioned way. And, what will they need in the way of equipment and supplies to do this?

They may need thimbles, sewing birds, darners, pincushions, scissors, tape measures and needles for a start. Now that we have got those things out of the way, what's next? Thread, sewing boxes, thread caddies, a sewing machine, and several other additions.

Wow! Are you sure you want to start this venture? How sure are you that it will save money? But if this is what you decide to do, it might not be about money. It might just be for the fun of making something yourself that others will see you wearing or being used in your home. It might just be for the satisfaction of making something of high quality of your own design. Doing things the way your mother or grandmother did things can prove to be very rewarding.

I know very little about sewing, but this I promise you -- there is gold in those antique sewing articles that were used by your relatives. When I want to get general information on pricing, I usually start with eBay's completed auctions and Kovels price guide. These don't represent the low or the high end of the market, but I have found they give me a general idea about the markets for the items I am researching.

Lets start with the antique sewing box. A fairly common one made of wood can set you back from $150 to $750. If you really want to get fancy, buy the three tiered 1892 initialed pincushion I saw for over $4,000. While we are accumulating the other items needed, we might want to look at sewing machines. A Clark Foliage from 1859 comes in at about $5,000. The Shaw & Clark sewing machine will set you back about $7,000. This sewing thing seems to be getting expense, don't you think? I once bought a Singer Featherweight machine for under $100, and it sold at auction for over $500. That has been my best purchase in the sewing arena only because it hasn't crossed my mind to look. I'll need to reconsider when I go into an estate sale or even a garage sale next time.

Sewing birds and darners can be picked up for a couple of hundred dollars and generally, pincushions fall in $25 to $500 range. Most of the other accessories can be purchased for under $100. And guess what? We haven't yet thought about the threads and fabrics.

One of our 31 Club members, Ondre H., just finished selling a large group of sewing machine instruction books on eBay and was surprised with the results. They all sold, and most of the for over $30. Several did considerably better than that. Her father was in the business and had accumulated these over many years. They covered a wide range of machines, so the collectors were very excited to receive them.

Personally, I am not going to take up sewing, but collecting these items is a different story. There are many people who collect the items that had been used every day by their mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers. Finding these items and getting them into the hands of collectors who treasure them is a valuable service you can provide while you make money doing it. These kinds of items will be good purchases for those beginning their Steps with the 31 Club and will propel you upward so you can soon join those traders who are dealing in the higher end markets.

Anyone interested in vintage sewing items will benefit from having The Story of Antique Needle Tools by Bridget McConnel become part of their library. This book chronicles the history and diversity of needlework tools dating from ancient Egypt through the twentieth century.

You can get a really good price on these two book together from Amazon right now.

The 31 Club uses a wealth building plan that can help you accumulate enough funds to last a lifetime, buying and selling antiques, collectibles, and fine art. Join the 31 Club. Learn about Antiques & Collectibles. Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles and build lifetime wealth. The plan is in my book. When you join today, you'll receive my 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Monday, February 25, 2008

Even though I've been in this business over 40 years, boy do I have a lot to learn from the ladies I've seen attending estate sales and auctions! Tables filled with antique table cloths, doilies and napkins always seem to get their attention, and I never fully understood the attraction. I knew there must be one, so doing what I recommended for you to do, I searched out information on these items. To my great surprise, there were listings of considerable value for them.

The secret seems to be that when you find a group of these miscellaneous articles, (there may be 50 to a 100 pieces lying there) buying them inexpensively as a group or lot, and then assembling sets from them and selling the rest individually can result in a large profit, if you bought them cheap enough.

I didn't know the difference between embroidery and crochet, but this I do know: It took many hours to produce each one of these pieces, and no matter what they cost today it would be a fraction of their value when considering the loving hours spent producing them. I can still see my Aunts and my Grandmothers sitting in their rocking chairs, stitching away with ease and precision. Isn't it a shame that we no longer appreciated this work of love that was done so many years ago.

To give you some ideas of value, I went to eBay and pulled up completed sales and found that it wasn't unusual to find pieces selling for over $200. If you were able to purchase 50 assorted pieces for $100 and they only averaged $5 each, you would have reached your goal of doubling your money. But what if one or two pieces brought over $200? The return might be 400 or 500% on your money. This is where the compounding that we keep telling you about comes into play.

Let's say this was your first purchase. You paid $100 and the sale brought in $500 for you. That's five times your money, and you'd be well on your way. If you took that $500 and made five times your money on your next 3 buys, we'd be talking about $62,500. This might seem unrealistic to you but I can guarantee that it is happening in our group today. Even if you slow it down and just double your money each time, like I talk about in the book, what would you have? Think about it.

To go even further with antique linens, I must tell you about "Samplers", so you won't miss the opportunity you see some. Children, as well as adults, practiced their sewing on small squares or rectangular pieces of cloth many years ago. These practice pieces are called "Samplers." The best pieces were known to be produced between 1790 -1840. Often, Samplers were made with the listing of the ABC's and had the persons name and the date it was produced stitched on the bottom. Later ones often had numbers, borders, and even pictures applied to them. My personal favorites are the ones that contain mottoes.

The price for the treasures can be tremendous. Rather plain ones can command $200 to $500. But I think that you will find the better examples bringing from $1000 to $10,000. If you really want to shoot for the moon and happen to find one that has historical value, the price could easily come in at $100,000 or more.

Can you imagine what a little girl might think today if she knew that something she produced just to practice her sewing could be worth tens of thousands of dollars today?

The 31 Club uses a wealth building plan that can help you accumulate enough funds to last a lifetime, buying and selling antiques, collectibles, and fine art. Join the 31 Club. Learn about Antiques & Collectibles. Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles and build lifetime wealth. The plan is in my book. When you join today, you'll receive my 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Last week, Cindy asked if I would set aside some time to meet with the founder of Antiques.TV. "Who," I asked? She was excited and said, "Kevin Stone, the founder of Antiques.TV. He'll be in Chicago next week. Remember, the English company that was one of the first to carry our Blog? He's interested in meeting us."

Then it all came back to me. You see, Cindy knows I am willing and eager to meet with anyone who wants to help this industry be improved and is willing to contribute their time to that effort. To my surprise she made the appointment to take place at my home, which I always like. Cindy was in the office on the computer when Kevin rang the doorbell. When I opened the door, there stood a gentleman that I felt I might have known my whole life.

Gathering in the kitchen as Cindy prepared tea, we all talked about everything from politics to life experiences. We continued this lively conversation as we all moved into the living room. We were having such a great conversation, I think we had talked about an hour before we ever got around to talking about the subject that brought us together. By this time, I had discovered that Kevin and I had very similar experiences in the business world. In fact, I'd say it was mysteriously similar. And our outlook on business was a match, too. You see, if someone tells us it can't be done, we say, "Watch and we'll show you how it can be done." Kevin Stone has a vision for this industry similar to mine. He understands this market is without limits.

Now back to the reason for the meeting. Last year, shortly after our book was published and we began developing our site and daily Blog, Cindy had contacted Kevin when she discovered his developing site and was intrigued by it. She spent some time going through it, and she particularly liked a video she was able to watch about Metamorphic Furniture. Kevin took a look at what we were doing, looked at our daily Blog, and decided to link it to his site. Naturally, we have a link from our site to his. Antique.TV was young and developing, and so were we. His site has grown by leaps and bounds so you might want to take a look at it, and watch for developing events between our companies. www.antiques.tv.

The reason that I share this story with you is that the 31 Club is beginning to be recognized as a true member of this community. That was one of the desires we had for this venture from its inception. Working together and with others, like Kevin Stone and Antiques.TV, we are going to have a positive effect on this industry.Be sure to continue to express your view on the direction the staff is leading this company in and also any improvements that you would like to see made. Cindy and Chris are in a major development phase on the content in the members only section, and I think you will be happy with some of the new developments that are coming.

The 31 Club uses a wealth building plan that can help you accumulate enough funds to last a lifetime, buying and selling antiques, collectibles, and fine art. Join the 31 Club. Learn about Antiques & Collectibles. Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles and build lifetime wealth. The plan is in my book. When you join today, you'll receive my 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

For several days last week, I’d been in Kentucky. What a great thing this Internet is. I could be away anywhere and still be able to keep in touch with you. Many of you know I am originally from Kentucky, and being there brought back so many memories. Naturally, a whole host of new stories have come to mind from this last visit. I recalled the days when I traveled around the country in search of great and rare treasure in an old orange bus.

In fact, on one trip, I am sure I was looking like Fred Sanford and Son with my bus all loaded down with furniture and other small items, when I ran out of gas in the middle of the night way out there deep in the country. All farmers have guns, and they will use them if they're not expecting visitors, so you can probably understand my hesitation in knocking on a farmer's door at that hour. But I did. And I survived. The best thing I can share with you from this experience is to fill up on long trips and make sure you have extra gas!

I also passed the spot where my wife, Vickie, and I once had an antique shop loaded with items. The shop covered over 5,000 square feet, full from floor to ceiling. I walked into the shop one day and announced to Vickie that we were moving to Chicago. With a surprised look on her face, she asked, "What are we going to do with all this stuff?"

"Sell it, of course," I replied. "And I have a plan."

Not to be outdone, she exclaimed, "Well, Daryle Lambert, you better have one!"

My plan was to call dealer friends of mine in the three surrounding states and tell them to bring their big trucks. I would guarantee them that I would fill each truck with items they would like, at a prices that they wouldn't argue over. They did, and I did. Within two weeks, I had totally emptied our store from wall to wall. I even sold the shelving along with my "open for business" sign and my orange bus.

It appeared as if Vickie and I had transformed ourselves from resembling Fred Sanford and Son to Jed Clampett and his family as we loaded up the truck and moved to Chicago, rather than to Beverly. Hills that is. Pulling our borrowed truck with a U-haul trailer attached, we must have been quite the sight. The only thing we lacked was Granny sitting atop the truck in her rocking chair.

Our memories were terrific, and I will always treasure those times. But I'm glad I unburdened myself from having a shop full of common items and the responsibilities that go along with running a shop. I took the money I made on that sale and spent the time locating and purchasing higher end, more rare items. Now I only make a handful of transactions every year of the finest items. It's just a new phase of my life, and an exciting one at that.

We can hold our memories dear, even though we move on to a new adventure. Vickie and I had some wonderful times, like the time we attended an auction in Henderson, Kentucky.

Herron Auction was the auction house, and they usually conducted estate auctions, but this one was an estate that hey had contracted to sell. Most of those in attendance were locals who were looking for a way to spend some enjoyable time out on a Saturday evening or to find something interesting to decorate their homes with. Few people there were looking to purchase quality antiques & collectibles.

As Vickie and I began to preview the sale, to my amazement I began to find some of the best items I had ever seen at auction in many years. There before me was wonderful Art Glass, Antique Dolls, Toys and even some fantastic Primitives.

We took our seats and waited with great anticipation for the auction to start. From the very first item that went up for auction, I almost always kept my hand in the air. It got so bad that a clerk from the auction house came over to me and ask how I was going to pay for my purchases. I told her any way she would like. However, I totally understood why they were concerned. They didn't know me. This was the first time I had ever attended one of their auctions.

At the conclusion of the sale, I sent a truck over to pick up everything I had bought. Today, that had been one of the most profitable ventures I've had. I specifically remember a French Doll I purchased for $200 and sold for $2,000 several months later.

Today it's not necessary to buy common items in quantity to make a good profit. In today's market, the more rare the item, the faster it sells and the more money you make, provided it's bought wisely. With a quick turnaround time, you'll be able to keep your money in circulation, making you more money. Trading up each time, you'll be able to amass more money without a lot of busywork and without the huge time commitment it takes to keep more common items around.

This is the 21st Century way. The way members of the 31 Club are learning to work. Members who have very little experience in antiques and collectibles to seasoned professionals who recognize the need to work differently these days. Why not join a community of like-minded people to converse with, learn from, share ideas and stories.

Wondering whatever happened to the truck that Jed Clampett's family, "The Beverly Hillbilies" made famous? The producer of the show placed it on permanent display at the Ralph Forest Museum, which is on the campus of the College of the Ozarks located in Point Lookout, Missouri. This is close to Branson, Missouri. You can read more about that truck here.

We use a wealth building plan that can help you accumulate enough funds to last a lifetime, buying and selling antiques, collectibles, and fine art. Join the 31 Club. Learn about Antiques & Collectibles. Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles. When you join today, you'll receive my 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Up, up and away! I can still hear those words and see Superman take off toward the sky decades later. Every child of my era loved the tales of Superman and Lois Lane. Remember when he would slip into the telephone booth to change clothes? What ever happened to his suit and tie when he left? If he left his clothers in a phone booth today, that suit would be gone by the time he returned to claim it. Better yet, nowadays, I'd bet he'd be hard pressed to even find a phone booth to begin with.

Can you still see that kryptonite as it sapped his strength? Yet he was always able to escape. Nothing could harm the man of steel for long. I wanted his x-ray vision eyes to be able to spy on my friends.

We needed heros back then and he filled the bill. My son, Joshua will have his computer games and his friends will have their wii, and other gadgets, but they won't have Superman.

But how does that help us today? Well, if you are one of the lucky ones that saved your Superman items, your children might not have to worry about their college education. Superman items are bringing huge prices even on eBay. For example, there are two comics listed now for $50,000 and $40,000. Even at these prices, I'm fairly certain they wouldn't be records. One actually just sold for over $17,500 on eBay.

But comics are just one of the items to be watching for. A Superman Ring sold for $2700 and a patch brought $650. These are things that could easily be found at a garage sales. Be sure to buy anything you find that has Superman's name associated with it and comes from the 1950's or earlier, if the price is below $10.

How wonderful it is to be searching for treasures from your past. It isn't always about the money. Those treasures can bring back special memories.

I found a terrific alternative to eBay, if you've been lucky enough to find comics books at garage sales you're looking to sell. Or, if you are interested in buying, or learning more about the value of these books, take a look around the website. ComicLink.com

Learn about Antiques & Collectibles and Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles. We use a wealth building plan to get the most out of buying and selling. A plan that will help you accumulate enough wealth to last a lifetime. Join the 31 Club. When you join today, you'll receive my 200 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

I heard from one of our most faithful members today, and she supplied me with a real story for you. Vicki H. has been communicating with me almost from the day we started our Blog. If there is still anyone out their that doesn't think treasures can be found today, they must not have run into Vicki H.

This latest story is even better than the ones she has shared in the past. We all have heard that Comics can be profitable, but do you know which ones are making Vicki jump for joy? You might be surprised that the funny books, as they were known as at the time, aren't the ones that are bringing the most money. Even I was caught off guard. It's the Horror Books that are moving to the head of the class. Vicki H. has just listed several lots of comics, and one listing is already standing out. This lot is for two Golden Age Comics from 1952-53 and titled "Tales of Terror." Having 13 bids, standing at over $400 for the two, with five days left to go their final price is anyone's guess.

Yes, Horror is where it's at, but why? Let's think about it together. First, parents might not have wanted their children to read those, so there might have been fewer printed. Second, the story lines were limited, so this could be another reason for their rarity. If you have any thoughts on this please comment.

I can check how Vicki's listings are doing, and so can you by going to zvicki40 on the advanced search under "sellers." If you aren't aware that you can look up individual sellers, then this is a great eBay tip for you. When you make a list of sellers who deal in items that interest you, you can checking their sites directly. This is a good way to find listings that can be purchased for your customers at prices that can meet our goals. This way you don't have to continually check all the listings on eBay to find what you want.

So often I have been at garage or estate sales and have seen boxes of comics that I passed by. I was so sure that if there had been anything rare, someone would have pulled it from the pile. Duh -- how dumb was I? By doing this I have probably passed by tens of thousands of dollars when I could have purchased the whole box lots for only a few dollars. You see, even though I have been in this business for over 40 years, I am still learning! That's what makes this business fun, as well as profitable.

As you can see, money in this business can come from all directions, and you will never run out of things to purchase that will put a smile on your face when they are sold. In this case, as I have mentioned in previous blogs, when you have the opportunity to buy multiple items at one time, usually the price is cheaper, and there is always the possibility that there could be a real treasure hidden in those boxes.

Way to go Vicki! Thanks for educating the rest of us. I will be waiting with bated breath for your next success story.

Learn about Antiques & Collectibles and Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles. We use a wealth building plan to get the most out of buying and selling. A plan that will help you accumulate enough wealth to last a lifetime. Join the 31 Club. When you join today, you'll receive my 200 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Talking each day and sharing with you gets me so excited, I usually can't wait for the next day to roll around. Telling stories of sales bringing in tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands gets my blood pumping. It's like being back in that race car in the days I thought I might someday race in the Daytona 500.

But Cindy brought me back to earth yesterday. She told me, "Daryle it's okay to talk about all the items in the way high range, but let's take care of today and first help people get out of the gate." I understood. I was getting caught up in the excitement of where I wanted to take you all. That's why it's good to have a partner who can douse you with a bucket of cold water when you need it.

I've given you plenty of information and insight about the path we'll be heading down, so let's focus on getting you out of the gate. When a horse jumps out of the starting gate, they take very short strides until they are underway. That's the way it is in the race you are beginnng. After you've take a few strides, then it's easier to put it in drive and sail along until you get near the finish line.

Let's spend your first $100, and then, the money each later buy and sell creates for you. I'll spend more of our time here writing about the kinds of items you'll be starting out with as you climb the steps toward the more rare and valuable items. You see, it's those early steps that will provide the seed money that will eventually produce the funds that will enable you to be well taken care of in your golden years (or way before that if you are diligent.)

So rather than talking about Tiffany, Daum Nancy or even Stueben, let's talk less expensive glass, pottery and porcelain. Like Carnival Glass. Names like McCoy, Haeger and Frankoma. These first steps can be taken in anything you find that you can buy low and sell high. Things like comic books, political memorabilia, vintage Christmas items, vintage kitchen ware, vintage cook books. I've written about some these during the year, so scroll back if you're new to the Blog and the 31 Club.

If you'll remember, our member, Vicki H. purchased six boxes of vintage phonograph needles for her first step. She spent $100, and she divided them up by manufacturer, then sold them individually on eBay, making herself about $800. Mike, from Vancouver Island, was working on his first step and found a bagful of vintage sterling bridle rosettes he paid $30 for. He sold one of the rosettes for $183.

While there are rare pieces of Carnival Glass listed, like the People's vase for $50,000, there are far less expensive and more common pieces listed for around $200, too. While you are studying, you will begin to recognize the more common pieces from the valuable ones, and if more common items appear at a sale and meet the requirements to be purchased, this would be a good place to start. For example, if the most current price guide shows $200, then you should add it to your inventory if you can get it for $50 or less. Remember, the goal is to, at the very least, double your money.

Glass, pottery, porcelain and even paintings can be used to complete your first step, so let's take a look at some pottery that can get you started. McCoy, Haeger, Frankoma, and many others are pottery you're more likely to encounter. If you'll buy a pottery and porcelain price guide -- one of those big thick ones, you'll be able to see just how many makes of pottery there are out there. These guides can serve you well. Don't forget to look up some of these names on eBay and do a completed listing search to see what some of these items look like and sell for.

You might find a Haeger Blue Dog figurine at a garage sale, because you'll have recognized the name. Today's Photo shows a Royal Haeger Collie figurine that sold a couple days ago on eBay for $108.28. There were 11 bidders. Familiarize yourself with the different types of items these companies produced.

You might run across a McCoy cookie jar, even the McCoy Harley Hog made in 1984. In my 2001 guide, that cookie jar lists for $155. Do you think you might find something like this at a garage or yard sale? You bet. Do a search of "McCoy cookie jar" on eBay in completed listings and see what prices come up.

When you get a good price guide, frequently studying the manufacturer names will etch these names into your mind. A method of study that Cindy uses is to make flash cards. She started with 5 names, and every couple of days, she adds three more and reviews them them all. Then she quizzes herself.

At a sale, When you come across an item whose name you recognze, or that you can recognize on sight, you'll feel great and you can say, "Aha, I know that." Keep the price guide with you in the car. If you have internet access on a lap top or phone, that helps, too. And don't forget -- if you see something you think might be of value, pick it up and claim it as yours. You can always have someone set it aside for you while you check your guide back in the car.

Paintings can often be found at garage and estate sales. Though most may not be listed artists, you can still make money during your early steps with these items. I see many of my friends buying paintings for $25-$35 on Friday and Saturday, then, at the local auction house on Tuesday, there they are awaiting auction that week. These often bring in $250 - $450 for a quality piece. Not a bad return for two days. I've even known dealer friends of mine who have picked up a painting for $35 and it turned out to be the work of a listed artist and sold for thousands.

When attractive paintings showing some quality are found at garage sales, it might well be worth the risk to buy them, and turn the pieces quickly at a local auction. There are always people looking for decorative art.

As you get started on your 31 Steps, I am just as interested in helping you with these kinds of items, as I am in the items you find down the road.

Learn about Antiques & Collectibles and Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles. We use a wealth building plan to get the most out of buying and selling that will help you accumulate enough wealth to last a lifetime. Join the 31 Club. When you join today, you'll receive my 200 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

eBay has sent out several e-mails to their customers announcing "specials" they are running. I believe the time for that is long gone. Now, it's time for them to come clean and raise their sinking ship. If they don't, their next quarter earnings are going to really shock their stockholders.

Up to this point, the market has been wonderful to the eBay stockholders and their buyers and sellers. However, the bulk of eBay's business is the middle to lower priced merchandise, and now the ability to make enough profit on these items is seriously in question. The game is over when the expense of doing business becomes so great that a merchant no longer has the incentive to do business. That's what is happening to eBay users today.

In my opinion, it isn't the commissions that are going to do the damage. It's the number of customers they won't retain. I'm guessing they won't be able to continue to add new customers as fast as the old customers high tail it out.

For the members of our 31 Club, I will be watching new developments in the market place. I know that a few "specials" offered won't stop the impending strike that's been planned by merchants, nor will it defer the competition from eating away at their customer base. eBay will either have to change their business model, or the results could prove disastrous for them. We would all lose if this happens.

As all this disorder takes place, believe it or not, listing your items in the local newspapers or trade magazines such as Antique Trader, Antique Week and Maine Antique Digest might be coming back as an effective way of merchandising. Also, private websites such as ours (www.31corp.com) are coming into vogue again, so you might want to check it out. We provide a great place to list your paintings and other items at a low fee with no buyers premiums to discourage your buyers. Private sites like ours have the ability to link to hundreds of other sites where your items will be seen.

Other resources that help you locate collectors for your particular items are right in the back of antique and collectible magazines. They often will have an ad in the classifieds and will list the items they're looking for. This is a quick way of finding a new buyer you haven't dealt with before.

Some of these suggestions will eliminate the commissions all together and enhance your profits tremendously.

One of the most overlooked ways of making a sale is to go back to a person who has purchased from you before. This is the easiest sale you'll ever make, because they have already done business with you and know that you're honest and truthful. These sales represent over 50% of my business. I've got no advertising costs or commissions to pay. What could be better than that?

Don't worry too much if eBay doesn't wake up and smell the coffee soon. There are a lot of ways to turn a profit with antiques, collectibles and fine arts. Maybe soon they'll realize the world does not revolve around them. There has always been a market, and there always will be.

Learn about Antiques & Collectibles and Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles. We use a wealth building plan to get the most out of buying and selling that will help you accumulate enough wealth to last a lifetime. Join the 31 Club. When you join today, you'll receive my 200 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Monday, February 18, 2008

What's your number? No, not your phone number, but what's the number in dollars that you will personally need in order to finance your life during your golden years? After you've paid to send the kids to college, that is.

Oh, you don't have money to send the kids to college? Sure, you can jump through the hoops to try and get grants, the kids can try to get scholarships, and heck -- they can even get their own loans. You could get lucky and win the lottery. But, I'm asking you this: If you knew of a way to have enough money to send the kids to college and have enough money to live a funded life during your golden years, would you want to know what that way is? Wouldn't you want pursue it?

"Well, Daryle, what's that got to do with Antiques, Collectibles and Fine Art?" Everything!

You see, in the Antiques, Collectibles and Fine Art Markets, making money to stash away for your golden years is so much more effective than anything else. I swear it's true. I've been in the financial securities business. I know how it works. You'll make the money a whole lot quicker in these market than your banker or stock broker could ever make for you in the financial markets. And you'll have a lot more fun. Now, it won't happen overnight. I'm not talking about getting rich quick. But it will happen faster than it does in the stock and bond markets when you follow a plan.

That's what my book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is all about. That's what the 31 Club is all about. We are all working diligently at accumulating a stash of cash, buying, selling and reinvesting right here in the greatest market around -- the Antiques, Collectibles, and Fine Art Markets. We're meeting wonderful and interesting people, learning more than we thought possible, and we're having loads of fun doing it.

The plan we work with is right in the book, and the help you get to follow it is through the 31 Club. My staff and I are working the plan right along with our readers. And we're showing a 7,500% return on our initial investment right now-- only 8 months into it. And we still have a few items in inventory awaiting sale for even more cash. We'll use that to fund our next buys.

I show you how to do all this in my book. Then, I continually guide those members of the 31 Club who call me. I show you how you could be assured of living a funded life by working with this plan. For those of you who are sitting on the fence, only reading the Blog day in and day out -- What on earth are you waiting for?

Who buys the book and becomes a member? We have young, old, wealthy, and just getting by. We have those who are almost broke, broke, widows, widowers, singles, divorced, in middle school and in college. We have people from all walks of life and professions. There are seasoned antique dealers and people who've never known a lick about antiques in their life.

But we have one common insight: We all know it's going to take a lot of dollars to continue to live well anywhere in the world. We have one common thread: The desire to learn and be active in directing our lives. We have one common goal: To live a funded life, and have fun getting there. Who will fund your life?

Learn about Antiques & Collectibles and Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles. We use a wealth building plan to get the most out of buying and selling that will help you accumulate enough wealth to last a lifetime. Join the 31 Club. When you join today, you'll receive my 200 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

What a difference a month can make. Not too long ago, I wrote a blog about political memorabilia. I suggested that you might go to all the current presidential candidate's headquarters and gather up all the campaign items you could. How many of you did that? If you did, your rewards might prove to be fantastic.

Who would have thought that an old, worn down soldier could have survivied against the Millionaire and the 9/11 Hero? But, he did. Three months ago, John McCain would have gladly given you his autograph. If he did, today you might be holding the signature of the next President of the United States. Pretty much out of money and with little hope, his campaign posters could have been collected by the bundles. How the scenario has changed today. You still might have time to pick up some of the buttons or other items that will become very valuable collectibles if he wins. What kind of returns will you have make on John McCain's memorabilia if he is elected President?

Next, let's examine Barack Obama, a freshman Senator running against the Senator- Wife of a past President. Not any President, but Bill Clinton, one of this country's favorites. The press had crowned Hillary early on and suggested that anyone who challenged her was wasting their time and money. Yes, I think Senator Obama would have gladly signed your autograph book, and probably several times. He is proving to be one of the most charismatic campaigners that I have ever seen. Do you have anything from his campaign headquarters? How about Hillary's? As this race gets heated up, anything that has Barack Obama's name or Hillary Clinton's name on it will gain in value. You won't have to wait ten years to see it. This will happen between now and November. If you doubt me, just check some items on eBay now and then, again, right before the election.

As I write this, there are 2282 items listed on eBay under "Obama". 1438 Items listed under "Hillary Clinton." 647 Items listed under "McCain." I checked the completed listings, and as I write this, the highest price paid so far is $5,900 for a Barack Obama 24'' x 36'' Edition of 350 (signed and hand numbered)"Progress" print. Clinton and McCain have less impressive completed sales prices. Can eBay be predicting the Election Results?

Isn't this business fun and easy? All you have to do is think outside the box. That's what makes this fun and profitable. While everyone else is running around like a chickens with their head cut off trying to find items that they will make a 20% return on, you are being given information about things that will prove to be real treasures. You can sell some and keep some, because the cost is zero. Twenty years from now people will be asking each other, “How did he or she do that and who did they know to get those things.”

This is the greatest advantage to doing business the 31 Club way. You never have to be in a hurry. You're always ahead of the trend, because you take the time to become knowledgeable. You'll know the direction of the trends.

Have you picked up any of these items? If you have, please share what you've got in the comments section. Then, if you sell them before the election, please share that with us, too. Our members will be watching to see if I have shared a truth with them, so help me out.

Learn about Antiques & Collectibles and Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles. We use a wealth building plan to get the most out of buying and selling that will help you accumulate enough wealth to last a lifetime. Join the 31 Club. When you join today, you'll receive my 200 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you have any questions about the book or the club, e-mail me at info@31corp.com.

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

The silver-on-bronze work of Heintz Art Metal Works of the Arts & Crafts Movement are treasures that might find a place on your list of items to make note of. "Arts & Crafts" is a decorative arts design that emphasizes spare, clean lines and simplicity of design.

Heintz Art Metal Shop was founded in 1906 in New York by Otto Heintz. They discontinued their works in 1935 when a new name, Silvercrest, was taken. Heintz produced some of the best bronze ware that have ever been made in this country. Most people aren't aware of this company, but the ones that are aware, realize that there is a ready market for their better pieces.

The fantastic thing about Heintz was their ability to combine different metals, often making the body of a piece out of bronze, but enhancing it with silver. While today you will see an abundance of cheap copper or bronze items on the market, I think it is fair to say that Heintz items will bring a premium still today.

Once you begin to appreciate the items that they produced you will be able to envision one of their large vases sitting on your Stickley sideboard, or a candlestick of theirs in the middle of your Arts and Crafts table. In fact, some of the best desk sets that were ever made came from this factory. If you are seeing what I'm seeing, you will understand why the better pieces will fly off your shelves and into someone else's collection quickly.

Note that your search for and purchase of Heintz treasure comes with a warning. You never want to clean a piece of Heintz. By removing the patina, up to 75% of the value can be eliminated. When I find a piece, I'd rather let the new buyer clean it as they see fit. And if you find a piece of Heintz, and it has been cleaned, know that its value has been lowered. You don't want to be paying too much for a piece.

Heintz's better candlesticks in today's market might fetch up to $4000, and the same can be said about their lamps, which might bring a considerable amount more. Vases also are highly sought after, and it is unusual for one to be found under $200. From there, the ranges can go into the thousands.

I have had many pieces of Heintz, but most of the pieces have been in the $200 - $600 range. I have seen pieces that I would have given my eye teeth to own. Once you recognize their mark, you will never forget it. It will just become another little nugget of knowledge that gets planted in your brain, waiting there until you need it.

The best places to find Heintz is garage sales and flea markets. These venues don't seem to put as high a value on the Heintz as collectors do. There is money to be made with these wares, so keep a sharp eye out for them.

Learn about Antiques & Collectibles and Learn How to Invest in Antiques & Collectibles. We use a wealth building plan to get the most out of buying and selling that will help you accumulate enough wealth to last a lifetime. Join the 31 Club. When you join today, you'll receive my 200 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, FREE.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources & EBay Powerweller

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you have any questions about the book or the club, e-mail me at info@31corp.com.

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Friday, February 15, 2008

As a young man, I remember looking at a magazine ad of a man sitting in a large comfortable chair beside a roaring fire, his dog at his side, smoking a large pipe. What could be better than that, I thought? I looked at the spiraling smoke climbing toward the ceiling, and I dreamed that would someday be me.

I never did start smoking, but that doesn't mean that I can't feel the satisfaction that picture has embedded in my mind.

At one time a man's prized possession was his pipe. He chose the right pipe as diligently as he would choose a wife. His pipe had to be made of the finest wood, clay, ivory or meerschaum. It had to feel just right and draw with perfection. No, nothing was too good for a gentleman's pipe.

How times have changed, and today, having lost their dignity, it is not surprising to find twenty, thirty, or even forty pipes in a box lot. But, there are still people that appreciate a great pipe and are willing to pay handsomely for a special pipe. They're the collectors, of course. And pipes are highly collectible. Just take a quick run through the completed sales on eBay and see how many bids certain types of pipes get, and at what price they're selling for.

This is where you come in. With a little research, you can come to recognize the ones that the true pipe connoisseur is searching for. Yes, among those discarded pipes could be a real treasure. In fact, I have been fortune enough to find several of these treasures in a single box lot.

At one auction, I allowed someone else to out bid me for a box lot of pipes. I later approached the winning bidder and asked about the ones I was interested in. They sold them to me for a couple of dollars. And here's the clincher -- the ones I bought were worth $300-$600, while the ones remaining in the box were worth about $5-$10. Yes, knowledge is King, and I will be showing you this as long as we work together.

Some pipe bowls are often carved with a great deal of artistry. The stems can be made of Bakelite, Vulcanite, Lucite, or just soft plastic. Expensive pipes once had stems made of amber.

Just a few examples from Kovel's price guide. A carved wooded pipe with a figural bowl, Dutch figures $1440; Ivory and wood crowned head and glass eyes $545; breaded man head silver mounted $260. These can be found in box lots for $2-$5 dollars each.

The Meerschaum pipe is a much different pipe, and you may have to pay up for them. The fact that few people really know their worth still can provide you with wonderful surprises. Here is an example. A helmeted warrior with a mother of pearl design $750.

This is where my theory comes in handy. I just say "I will take them all." This works out pretty well for me. I once bought a box lot of pipes for about $200. I sold them all and made about $2,250. There are people who work all month long to bring home $2,250. With knowledge, you can make that amount and not have to work all month for it. I see treasures everywhere.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you have any questions about the book or the club, e-mail me at info@31corp.com.

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

I jumped into my truck yesterday morning, Mapquest map in hand, all eager to finally get to that appointment I had counted down the days for, thinking about how profitable this one visit could turn out to be based on my phone conversation. You see, I'd been priviledeged to be asked by a wonderful couple to visit their home to assess many of their items. They were moving -- and downsizing at that, and will be needing to sell off a good portion of their treasures.

"Yes, today just might be a fine day," I thought to myself as I turned the corner of their street. I arrived at the location indicated on my map, only I couldn't find the house. I drove up and down the street but didn't see the address so I reached for my handy cell phone to call them. I flipped it open only to realize I didn't have their number with me. I must've left it on the kitchen table.

I drove up and down the street a few more times, thinking someone might see me, until I wised up a bit and asked myself, "Who in their right mind is going to be standing out here in this frigid Chicago weather?" Well, I guess there were some people who weren't in their right mind, because once I parked my truck and started walking from one end of the street to the other in knee deep snow and wind chill temperatures well below zero, I did run into some neighbors. Only no one knew who I was talking about. Being the southern boy that I am, it still amazes me how many people up here have lived in the same house for years and still don't know their neighbors. At this point, I had no other choice but to return home and call them.

I burst through the door to my home and dialed their number. Would you believe I got a phone company recording telling me how sorry they were that all the circuits were busy at this time? I tried again, but got the same message. I hung up, just about ready to give up in defeat. Then the phone rang.

"Mr. Lambert, where are you? Did you decide not to come," the lady asked? I gave the short version, which my wife says I never do, and then asked if it was too late now for our visit. She gave me instructions this time, and I soon recognized that they were nowhere near the location I had on Mapquest. I suddenly recalled Cindy telling me about trying to get to a wedding with her trusty Mapquest Map and ending up on a dead end street staring into an empty lot. Had I thought of that earlier, I could've saved myself the trek through the knee deep snow.

I finally got to their home and was greeted by a wonderful couple in their eighties, who immediately made me feel comfortable. I looked around their home and was amazed at the elegant decor. It looked as if it had been decorated by a much younger couple, as it was mostly contemporary furnishings and looked like I was walking through the pages of a contemporary home magazine.

They were glad to show off their treasures, but to my surprise, there was very little that I could value on the spot. Their smaller pieces were Oriental pieces and English pieces, mostly from the 18th and 19th century. These aren't my strong suit, so I took a lot of notes and said I would do some research and get back to them.

They had a wonderful set of four plates and many items that I loved, yet here's what my experience tells me and this is what I want to share with you today. I could have made offers, but I am sure that they had a very good idea what those items were worth. Had I given them a low figure, just to be safe, I would've lost all credibility and probably not have been asked back. . By saying that I would research the items, they were more than glad to ask me back. The next time, I will be prepared because I'll know what they have for sale.

This is so important. Never try to convince a person you know something that you don't. They will see right through you. But if you're honest and tell them you'll find out, they will be more than willing to work with you.

I headed home, once again, and this time got caught in bumper to bumper traffic that I'd never seen at that time of day. I was stuck in that car forever. I'm thankful that I had enough gas in the truck to sit it out, but I wasn't that lucky with the cells on my phone. Oh well. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had a day like this.

Take a close look at Today's Photo by going to Guest & Gray. The bowl is engraved with a dragon. Look around the site so some of these items will stick in your mind.

"...I spent about 15 years in the antiques and collectible fieldand I can tell you this is one of the best books you will everread about making money with art, antiques and collectibles." -Skip McGrath, Auction Seller's Resources

"It has been a great pleasure knowing Daryle for more than10 years. I share his excitement in releasing this book. He isa man of his word."Riley Humler, Cincinnati Art GalleriesConsultant, Antique RoadShow

If you have any questions about the book or the club, e-mail me at info@31corp.com.

If you haven't yet had a chance to see what we've got listed in the 31 Gallery & Marketplace, click on over and take a look. You might even find a real bargain. We've got many high quality items priced reasonably. If you have a high quality piece you'd like us to find a buyer for, why not consign your item to us. No high fees when you sell with us.

Daryle's Book

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